Is the selfie going to change credit union card security?

Selfie lovers rejoice! It’s the dawn of a new day, at least technologically speaking. Today MasterCard announced it is set to begin testing a verification method that would allow card holders to verify online purchases with a selfie.The app will require card holders to take a picture of themselves each time they make a purchase. Additionally, MasterCard is also testing fingerprint and voice recognition methods for verification. This new method of payment follows what MasterCard has developed for card holders in the past. Just last year MasterCard rolled out contactless technology, which we are all very familiar with, enabling card holders to activate cards through their smartphones and make purchases using contactless (NFC) point-of-sale terminals.

This is another sign that the card brand is trying to get ahead of Apple, who added hardened security to their offerings by adding a fingerprint scanner to passbook back in 2013. MasterCard employees will roll out the technology for testing through October of this year and it is compatible with every major smartphone brand. MasterCard’s thinking? Taking a selfie is easier than remembering a password…

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